Top-ranked Golden Gophers hand Saints women's hockey 6-0 loss

Sunday, October 14, 2012 - 2:26 am

Nationally-ranked No. 1 University of Minnesota scored three special teams goals and another solid performance from goaltender Noora Raty en route to a 6-0 victory over the St. Lawrence University women's hockey team at Appleton Arena on Saturday afternoon.

Raty made 21 saves in two periods, while Amanda Leveille added six stops for Minnesota (5-0-0) in the third period. St. Lawrence netminder Carmen MacDonald made 32 saves, as her team was outshot 38-27.

"They're number one in the country for a reason, and we saw what we aspire to be," said St. Lawrence head coach Chris Wells. "I thought we played with good energy all weekend and did some good things against the nation's best."

Minnesota, which boasts the nation's best offense, defense and special teams, scored the first of two short-handed goals at 4:26 of the first period, as Hannah Brandt's ninth of the season put the Gophers on top 1-0. After Milica McMillen made it 2-0 at 12:07 on a blast from inside the blue line, Amanda Kessel pushed the lead to 3-0 on a short-handed breakaway goal with 36.6 seconds left in the first period.

Though St. Lawrence outshot Minnesota 12-10 in the first period, which was the first time the Gophers have been outshot in a frame this season, the three-goal deficit became 4-0 at 8:59 of the second. Though Mira Jalosuo's slap shot from the point sailed wide of MacDonald, the puck bounced hard off the end board right to Kelly Terry at the post, and she fired the rebound into the net for a power play goal, her first of the season.

Despite St. Lawrence having several quality chances early in the third period, Leveille and the Minnesota defense were able to keep the scoreboard clean. Becky Kortum and Sarah Davis (empty net) added goals for the visitors in the final 5:00 minutes of regulation for the 6-0 victory.

Minnesota finished 1-for-4 on the power play, while the Saints were 0-for-6.

Though St. Lawrence will have next week off, the road doesn't get much easier as the Saints visit nationally-ranked No. 2 Cornell for a non-conference game on Tuesday, October 23 at 7:00pm.